For this Traveller character, I rolled characteristics (attributes) and then attempted to enlist in the service that best fit those stats.
Strength - 10
Dexterity - 4
Endurance - 8
Intelligence - 6
Education - 7
Social Standing - 8
Merchant enlistment gave me DMs of +1 for my strength and +2 For my intelligence, so +3 to make a 7+. Marines I only would have had a +2 DM for an enlistment roll of 9+, plus my low Dex would be a hindrance to gun combat. I went with Merchant, and enlisted easily.
Survival is relatively easy in the Merchants of course (5+ roll), and I easily made it every term so I won't belabor that.
Commissioning is also easy (4+, with a +1 DM if Intel is 7+), so I easily made 4th Officer (rank 1) the first term.
So three skills the first term:
Personal Development Table: +1 Strength! (strength now 11)
Service Skills Table: Steward
Advanced Education Table: Navigation
This character completed 3 other terms without getting promoted. Skills earned were two levels of Vacc Suit, and Medical in his fourth term.
Finally in his 5th term he was promoted to 3rd Officer (rank 2), earned skill in Gunnery, and barely made reenlistment (rolled a 4, needed a 4!). He was starting to get discouraged on the Merchant corps.
He was not promoted in his 6th Term, and earned advanced qualifications in Navigation (Navigation - 2 now).
He did not reenlist, but I rolled a 12 on reenlistment which means the character is pressed into another term! Almost as crazy as dying during character development, especially because this will be his 7th Term and the character will be 46 at the end of that term.
In his 7th Term in the Merchant Corps, this character earned another rating in Navigation, so he is now at Navigation - 3.
I do not roll another 12 on reenlistment, so he successfully musters out.
Aging effects start at age 34 (end of 4th term), with a a saving throw roll for each (Strength 8+, Dexterity 7+, Endurance 8+). Effects are rolled for each term starting with the 4th.
My character lost 3 points of strength, down to 8.
I knew starting with only a 4 Dexterity and 4 rolls, this would not be good. 3 points lost 🙁. If any characteristic gets to zero the character has an Aging Crisis - glad I didn't have to deal with that! But a 1 Dex is pretty sucky: negative DMs on any firearm use, and pretty fragile in combat.
But, the benefit of my seven terms of service is 8 Mustering out benefits (one per term plus one for my rank). But sadly the only way to receive a merchant ship as a mustering out benefit is to roll a 7 on a D6, which requires the +1 DM of Rank 5 or 6, so that's not going to happen. And all characters are limited to 3 rolls on the Cash Table, so I'll have 5 rolls on the benefits table. I roll low on the cash, receiving a total of 35,000 credits. This will be augmented by my Retirement Pay (which starts at 5 terms of service) of 8,000 credits per year. I roll even worse on the Benefits table, getting 2 Low Passages, two +1 Intel bumps, and a +1 Education.
So please meet Mikel Lancelles Jamison, the older brother of the example character in Book 1, Alexander. Mikel is 46 years old with a UPP (Universal Personality Profile, the shorthand for a character profile) of 8 1 8 8 8 8 (Str, Dex, End, Int, Edc, Soc). A retired (8,000 Cr/year pension) 7-term Merchant 3rd Officer, with 2 Low Passage tickets and 35,000 Cr in his bank account.
Mikel is an expert ship Navigator (Navigator - 3), with additional qualifications as a Medical Officer (1), Steward (1), and Gunnery Officer (1). After 28 years in space, it's no surprise he also has Vacc Suit - 2.
Mikel is seeking service outside the merchant service on a ship, ideally as Navigator, but he could also fill any other ship position except Engineer. With no weapons skill or ability in a fight, Mikel is not one for rougher missions, but would be happy to stay back on the ship and look after things.
Mikel continues to nurse resentment and jealousy of his younger brother Alexander, who retired after only 5 terms as a Merchant Captain. Brother Alex also received his own ship as a mustering out benefit with 30 years of the 40 year loan paid off! Alex offered Mikel the Navigator position on his ship, but Mikel turned him down. It won't be good if their paths cross in the future.
#CharacterCreationChallenge
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